Using Any Lens on Micro Four-thirds Cameras

Posted on Sep 2, 2013

It’s a Special Labor Day Micro Four-thirds Monday with another wonderful Guest Post from Mark Toal

When Micro Four-Thirds cameras were first introduced a lot of pewople found out that that almost every lens ever made could be adapted to work on with these Panasonic and Olympus camera bodies. Since Micro Four Thirds cameras don’t have mirrors the lenses mounts are much closer to the sensor allowing space for an adapter between the lens and camera body. Panasonic made their first adapters for Leica and full Four-Thirds lenses but since then there are lots more available for many different lens mount.

Nikon 50mm lens

After buying my Lumix G1 I immediately went online and searched Google and eBay for an adapter that would work with my 1970 Nikon 50mm f/1.4 lens that has been a paperweight on my desk for 20 years. It was the lens from my first film SLR. I never wanted to part with it and didn’t think I would ever use it again. I received the adapter from somewhere in China, put the lens on and marveled at my new, old lens. Because of the smaller sensor on a MFT camera the lens acted liked a 100mm f/1.4 lens., perfect for portraits such as the photo of Jasmine wearing a hat at left.

Adapted lenses have to be manually focused but the camera will determine the correct exposure went it’s set in Aperture priority mode. You can see full instructions for adapting lenses to Panasonic Lumix cameras at http://mtoallumiximages.wordpress.com/tips/

Mark Toal works for Panasonic as a training representative in Portland, Oregon. His views on this blog are his own and do not represent Panasonic. You can see more of Mark’s photos on his photo blog at www.mtoal.wordpress.com. Mark can be contacted at marktoalphotography@gmail.com